Building blocks and means for assembling same



United States Patent 1 BUILDING BLOCKS AND MEANS FOR ASSE1VIBLING SAME Philip J. Belliveau, Martindale Road, Auburu, Maine Filet] Inne 13, 1957, Set. N0. 665,450

2 Claims. (C1. 50-425) This invention relates to building blocks and rneans for assembling same.

The invention is more particularly concerned with building blocks of rectangular form which are provid'ed with a pair of nght angularly disposed intersecting grooves in opposed parallel faces thereof and Wherein oonnecting means are provided for the blocks which are disposed in said grooves.

The present invention is for the improved Wall coustruction and method of construction which can be easily manufactured and laid With or without cement one block on another without staggering and when so laid can bc interlooked as between each block by use of connecting metal straps.

A primary object of the invention is to provide rectangul=ar building blocks, each of which is provided with intersecting grooves in the opposed horizontal faces thereof and an aperture extending through the block from the bottom Walls of the -grooves a1: the intersections. thereof and wherein means are provided for extension through said apmturcs and for disposition within said grooves for securing horizontally disposed abutting blocks in .position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of building block securing means which are of highly simple construction =and which are capable of quick and easy assembly with the blocks for expediting the laying thereof.

Other objects and adva.ntages -of the invention Will become apparcnt in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection With the accompanying dmawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is an isometric view of four juxtaposed building, blocks constructed in accordance with the present invention and wherein a pair of pins involved in the block connecting means are shown in osition in the respective blocks.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of one of the blocks.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a further advanced step in the connection of the blocks.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and showing a still furthcr advanced step in the connection of the blocks.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and showing a still further advanced step in the connection of the blocks.

Fig. 6 is an isometric view showing four juxtaposed rectangular building blocks completely connected against longitudinal separation and further showing four similar blocks connected together against longitudinal separation and on Which the first four connected blocks are supported.

Rcferring now in detail to the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 ancl 2 thereof, each block 10 in each of its vertically spaced horizontal faces is providcd With a pair cf right angularly disposed intersecting grooves 11 and 12 and each block 10 is further provided with a vertioal aperture 13 whose opposite ends open through the bot- 2963,828 Patented Dec. 13, 1960 tom Walls of the grooves 11 and 12 centrally of the intersect.ions thereof.

The connecting means comprises a plurality of steel plus 14 and a plusality of metallic plates or straps 15, all of the pins am of like dimensions and all of the straps are of like dimensions and the latter have letter sulfix designations in tha description of the successive positioning thereof.

As indicated in Fig. 1, two pins 14 are in position but all four Will, 01 course, be disposed in the respective apertures 13 in the initial step of block securement.

The second stcp of assembling the four blocks 10 is indicated in Fig. 3, wherein a strap 15 is positioned in each 01 the grooves 11 in the upper faces of the blocks:

At this point, it is to be observed that the pins 14 a1e initially loose in the apertures 13 and same are of a length tba-t they finally projcct above the last applied straps whereby pins dropped into the apertures in a succeeding layer of blocks will be pushed upwardly by the projecting ends of the pins in the preceding layer of blocks and each of the straps; 15 is provided With a pin receiving aperture 16 adjacent each end thereof. Fufthermore, tne thicknass of the straps is equal to one-half the depth of the grooves. Upon positioning the straps 15 in position in Fig. 3, same arc welded to tl1e pins 14.

The third step of assembly is indicated in Fig. 4, wherein two additional straps 15 a1e laid in grooves 11 With the apertures 16 in adjacent ends thereof receiving tha pins 14 and the stnaps 15 are welded to the pins.

lt is to be noted that the upper faces of blocks 10 and the upper faces of straps 15 are flush.

The fourth step of assembly is indicated in Fig. 5 wherein a pair 01 additional straps 15 are disposed in overlying relation to each of the grooves 12 .amd in intersecting relation to the straps 15 and With the adjacent end apertnres 16 receiving tne pins 14 and to which the straps 15 are welded.

The fifth a.nd final step of assembly of thc blocks is indicated in Fig. 6, Wherein an additional strap 15 is positioned ovcr adjacent ends of each alined pair of straps 15 and which are also welded to the plus 14. lt is to be noted that the pins 14 project slightly above the straps 15 for urging the pins upwardly in the apertures 13 in a succeeding layer of blocks.

As is indicated in Fig. 6, the straps 15 and 15 rast in the bottorn grooves 12 cf a succeeding layer of blocks.

While the connecting means aIe shown for an assernbly of four blocks only, it is apparent that the projecting apertured ends of the st1=aps are readily connectible to ins 14 disposed in other groups of blocks.

Having set forth the invention in accordance With a preferred structural embodiment thereof, what is claimed and desired to be secured by U.S. Letters Patent is- 1. A building block assembly comprising four rectangular blocks in side Wall engagcment With each other, a pair of right angularly disposed grooves in each of the upper and lowcr faces of each of said blocks, said grooves intersecting in tl1e Ve1tioal center of blocks W1'th their ends opening through the vertical sidc Walls of the block intermediate the vertical corners thereof and said grooves having right angularly disposed bottom and side Walls, a vertical aperture in each of said blocks opening through the bottorn walls of the grooves at the intersections thereof, a pin of a lcngth slightly greater than the height of the blocks disposed Within the aperture in each block and projecting upwardly to a point above the upper face thereof, a first strap disposed within aligned grooves in a first pair of said blocks and a second strap being disposed within aligned grooves Within a second pair of said blocks said aligned grooves in said first and sccond pair of blocks being parallel said first and second straps each being in the upper faces 015 said blocks, said straps each hairidg al1pertuidthiarein adjacent each end thereof V through which the upper ends of said pins extend said pins being secured to said straps, a further two pair of apertured straps disposed in superposed relation to the fi1'st (and Second straps, 'said further two pair of straps being flush with the upper faces of said blocks and having Opposite apertured end portions protruding beyond a first opposite side WallS of the blocks, the apertures in adjacent ends of said superposed further two pair cf straps receiving the upper ends of said pins 211d being secured thereto, a further apertured strap disposed upon and in intersecting relation to each strap f the said further two pairs of protruding straps with each of said intersecting straps having lower faces in the plane of the upper faces of said block, said intersecting stnaps are aligned in pairs having opposite apertured end portions of each pair thereof protruding beyond a second opposite side Walls of' said blocks Which are disposed in right angular relation to said first side Walls, adjacent =apertured end portions of said aligned pairs of intersecting straps resting upon and intersecting said furthe1 two pairs cf protruding straps said pins extending through the aperture in said adjacent end portions of said aligned pairs of intersecting straps, two additional straps disposed in superposed rela= tion to each aligned pair of said intersecting straps with a corresponding pair of said pins extending through said additional straps apertures therein, and all said apertured straps being of rectangular form and cross section and of a width corresponding to that cf the grooves and 015 a depth equal to one half of the depths of said grooves.

2. A building block assembly comprising four rectangular blocks in side Wall engagement with each other, a pair of right angularly disposed grooves in each of the upper and lower faces of each of said blocks, said grooves intersecting, in the ventical center of the block with their ends opening through the vertical side Walls of the block intermediate the verhical corners thereof and said grooves having right angularly disposed bottom and side wall, a vertical aperture in each of said blocks opening thmugh the bottom walls of the grooves at the intersections thereof, a pin of a length slightly greater than the height o'f the blocks disposed witha'n the aperture in each block and projecting upwardly to a'point above the upper face thereof, a first strap disposed within aligned groovos in a fizrst Wahof said blockS and a second strap being disposed aligned grooves a second pair o f said blocks said aligned groo.ves in said first and second pair of blocks being parallel-said first and second straps each being in the upper faces 05 said blocks, said straps each having an aperture therein adjacent each end thereof through which the uppga ends of sadd pins extend said pins being secured to said straps; a further two pairs of apertured straps disposed in superposed relation to the first and second straps sa.id funther two pair of straps being flush with upper faces of said blocks and having opposite apertured end pontions protruding beyond a first opposite side walls of the blocks, theapertures inadjacent ends of said superposed further two pairs 0f straps receiving the upper ends of said plus andfbeing sei:ured thereto, a further aportured strap disposed upon and in intersecting relation to each strap of the said further two pairs of prot ruding straps with each of said dntersectng straps having lower faces in the plane of the uppcr faces of said block, said intersecting straps am aligned in pairs having opposite apertured end portions of each pair thereof protruding beyond a second opposite side Walls of said blocks -which a-re disposed in might angular relation to said first side walls, adjaoent apentured end portions of said aligned pai1s of intersecting straps resting uptm and intersecting said fur ther two pan'Is-of protruding said pins extending throngh the aperture in said adjacent end pombions of said aligned pairs of intersecting straps, and two additional straps disposed in superposed relation to eaoh ligned pacu of said intersecting straps with a. coxrresponding pair of said pins extending through. said additional straps apertumes therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 872,364 Pierce Dec. 3, 1907 956,632 Finch May 3, 1910 2121,943 Bern Inne 28, 1938 2,141,397 Locke Dec. 27, 1938 2,250 Blaski July 22 1941 2676482 Wilson Apr. 27, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 385,502 G*reat Britain of 1932 

